Royal Service Cinema in Echt Confirmed as the Netherlands First Cinema to Use Sony Digital Cinema 4K Technology

Sony Digital Cinema today announced that the Royal Service Cinema in Echt is the first independent cinema in the Netherlands to be fully equipped with its 4K technology. The newly refurbished cinema in Limburg has installed Sony 4K cinema projectors in all of its four auditoriums.

The desire to provide viewers with the best experience possible and be at the forefront of cinematic innovation was the motivation behind the chain’s choice to switch to digital with Sony Digital Cinema state-of-the-art 4K projection.

Sony’s 4K technology allows consumers to experience exceptional picture quality from every seat in the cinema, providing world-leading 3D images and spectacular 2D detail even on the largest screens. Transforming the film experience, Sony Digital Cinema 4K technology gives the consumer an immersive, engaging visual experience you simply can't get at home.

Developments in the film industryCurrently cinemas are on the threshold of a historic transformation from film to digital projection, and Sony’s 4K technology is leading the digital cinema revolution. Meeting the most demanding performance standard defined by the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI), the 4K format offers a four-times increase in resolution over 2K for the ultimate big screen experience. Sony is the only manufacturer able to supply the end-to-end 4K projection system.“The choice of the Royal Service Cinema in Echt to install our 4K technology into its revamped cinema is an absolute milestone for Sony, and illustrates the wide acceptance of the Sony Digital Cinema 4K solution. We expect to see more and more fully 4K cinemas in the Netherlands in the very near future”, says Tore Mortensen, Digital Cinema Solutions Account Manager at Sony.

“Furthermore, the boom in 4K projection is being matched by a boom in 4K releases; with an increasing number of 4K films being released as 4K rapidly gains momentum in the distribution community. As a result of the growing number of 4K cinema projectors in the Netherlands, these films can now be viewed in their optimal manner.”

Bas Haldermans, the owner of the Royal Service Cinema in Echt states; "With our newly renovated cinema we are able to offer our valued customers the ultimate digital cinema experience. Most other digital cinema projectors are only 2K, but Sony 4K is dramatically different, with four times the pixel count, delivering better picture clarity, resolution and quality for a more compelling and entertaining cinema experience. This means our cinema goers get a level of detail that they’ve never experienced before, greatly enhancing their enjoyment of a fast action-packed film or a big scale epic adventure. In addition to this, our customers can now order drinks in the theatres, purchase tickets from our new computerised payment system and have drinks in the refurbished lounge bar after the movie.”

The Royal Service Cinema in Echt is now open for business. Thanks to the cooperation of Sony Pictures, during the reopening, Sony showcased a preview screening of director Bennett Miller’s latest release, Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt. Moneyball is one of the latest 4K film releases and can be seen in the Netherlands in November 2011.